Elsa of the jungle: The bear necessities
by M. B. Carver
Summary: Takes place after the She-ape and between chapter 2 and 3. Baloo, the brown bear begins to teach Elsa of the joys of the bare necessities of life.
1. Chapter 1

**The bare necessities**

It was a clear afternoon; the Black Panther strolled through the jungle. It was during his time of journeying through the jungle, the panther then heard some snoring coming from just ahead. The panther stopped as his ears continued to catch the sound of slumber. He turned and looked leftward to the strongest origin of the sound.

"Now what could be making that noise?" He asked himself.

The panther began to walk in the direction where the sound was coming from. Continuing for what was a very short time before the sound had come to its loudest state. The trail had brought the leopard to a darkly lit cave, where the snoring was echoing out into the jungle.

Bagheera rolled his eyes knowing very well of who was making that sound.

"What is that fool doing now?" He asked himself.

The panther walked toward the cave entrance and as he entered, he found a familiar brown bear, sleeping with honey combs around him. His muzzle was covered with the sweet sticky substance.

"Bare necessities, the simple Bear about your worries and your strips." He said in his slumber.

Bagheera sighed and shook his head at the sleeping bear. The condition of the brown bear was but a nascence sight of the immaturity of Baloo. The fool was fast asleep and his fur was drenched in honey. Bagheera approached the bear and tapped his paw upon the Bears side, trying to wake him up.

"Baloo?" The panther said.

The bear only snorted in response, still fast asleep.

"Baloo!"

The bear gave a snuffled before he finally woke up. He raised his head from the ground, moaning. He then turned and saw Bagheera standing at the mouth of his den.

"Oh, morning Begie." He said.

The bear came up on his four paws; the honey combs that lay against his sides fell underneath the brown then opened his mouth wide and gave a load yawn.

"Sorry for the mess." He said as he closed his mouth.

"I've just been catching up on some nice, relaxing hibernation."

"Why do you have any need to hibernate?" The Panther asked curiously, knowing full well there was no need for it.

"You are in the jungle. Bears have no reason to be sleeping through every passing day."

"Well I like to have some long time of shut eye you know." Baloo said as he sat down.

Bagheera just groaned and shook his head. Baloo was never a very reliable bear to be relied upon, especially at this time for Diata. It had already been a few weeks since she had lost her cub, and since she had found the girl-cub that is named Elsa. Baloo had been absent for sometime after Pora's death. Not surprising though. He and Pora were very good friends. In fact, they were so close where Pora considered Baloo to be an uncle. When Pora had been taken by the Hyena's, Baloo was as torn as Diata was. Now here the bear lies, sleeping in his den with countless cones of honey chewed to bits.

"How long have you been in here?" Bagheera asked.

"Oh, well, ever since the..."

When thinking of the answer, Baloo frowned and narrowed his head.

"Since Pora..."

The Panther stared at the bear in utter shock.

"You've been in this cave since then?!" Bagheera said.

"Well..." Baloo said, but couldn't find the right thing to say.

"You know I..."

For a while, the bear was completely silent as he tried to find what to say. However as he thought of the facts that would prove the answer, he come to feel the great depression that he had felt through this time. All the memories and all the times he had with Pora, made the bear only sink deeper in his pain. The bear let out a sigh and sat down before the panther.

"I don't know, Baloo." Bagheera said, having no idea of what the bear referred to.

"I just..."

"You what?" Bagheera asked.

The bear narrowed his head, as he finally drew some strength to say what troubled him so much.

"I just... I miss my little cub!" He spat out, looking up to Bagheera.

"I miss my little Pora."

The bear got up and turned himself around as he walked deeper into his cave.

"Baloo." Bagheera said as he stepped into the cave with him.

The brown bear sat down with his back faced back from the panther. He kept his head narrowed as he thought of the young lioness cub he had come to love. He was without a single word to say. Much like Diata, losing Pora was a loss that was too heavy to be carried. Bagheera for one knew of the pain that both Baloo and Diata are going through. The sloth bear could always be seen as family to both Pora and Diata. He and the white lioness were close friends much like Kala.

When Pora was born, Baloo felt as if he was the luckiest in the jungle. He felt much like an uncle to the little white cub. They often played together, Baloo taught her the joys of the jungle, or as he called it the bare necessities of life. Those were times that the bear couldn't imagine living without. Now it seemed he would have to endure that tragic factor as much as it pained him inside.

"I don't know what you expect from me." he said.

"I expect that you be there for you friend." Bagheera said.

"And what could I do?" Baloo asked turning to him.

"I wasn't there to stop those hyenas and that poor kid..."

Bagheera came up to the bear.

"Baloo, there wasn't anything you could have done."

The bear moaned and repositioned his heads forward. To know that was but the worse part for him. He would have done anything to prevent anything from happening to Pora. The panther walked up to the bear's side.

"What are you going to do?" The panther asked sternly.

"Just sit inside this cave all your life?"

"Well, why not?" Baloo asked, seeing that there wasn't any reason not to.

"Got enough honey here for the winter."

Bagheera groaned at the bears inconvenience of setting aside the past. Instead he was too enwrapped with his pain and sympathy for himself that he'd rather spend the rest of his left sulking in his cave. He understood his plight to have the friend he had lost so long ago, but that was no reason to just give up on life.

"This is entirely selfish of you, Baloo." Bagheera said, seeing him kept to himself in the layer while Diata had gone through a time of sorrow.

"You left your friend to sleep and eat honey for over a few weeks? Now you are just going to remain here the rest of your life because you can't just let go of one single tragedy."

"Oh yeah, well..." Baloo said, trying to think of what to say.

"Well..."

Bagheera raised his left eye brow in curiosity to what he would say. He was eager to hear what ever comeback the bear came up with. But Baloo had but very little to combat the panthers words. As he continued to think more, he could only draw blanks to be his conclusion of his thoughts. Finally he gave in and let out a groan, slamming his head downward to the ground. He was being selfish; he knew it to be true. There wasn't anything he could say to suggest otherwise.

"Alright, your right." He finally admitted to his choice to Culp with the pain.

"I've been selfish."

The panther nodded his head in agreement.

"I'm glad to see that you've come to your senses." Bagheera said.

Baloo sighed.

"You're right." He said looking up to the panther.

"I shouldn't be here feeling sorry for himself. I have to help her through this."

"Well you are a bit late." Bagheera said, knowing that the pain had far passed Diata.

"Diata's no longer so concerned with her Daughters death.'

"Oh..." Baloo said narrowing his eyes.

Somehow he felt a bit embarrassed to know that he was the only one that was still depressed over Pora's death.

"But there is something that you can help her with." Bagheera said, recalling that Diata did indeed need assistance with something in particular.

Baloo stared up to Bagheera curiously.

"And what's that?" He asked, eager to hear what it was that he could help his friend with.

"Well, lucky enough for you, it's does involve your position as uncle." Bagheera said.

"Diata need for the jungle folk to be equated with Elsa."

The bear tilted his head in confusion.

"Elsa?" He said.

"Uh... Who's Elsa? Speaking of that, what kind of name is Elsa?"

"She's Diata's new cub." Bagheera answered.

At the mention of new cub, the bear widen his eyes. He was shocked and completely speechless at what Bagheera had said. Diata has a new cub? If that was true, then I would have had to have taken several months for that to happen. He was beginning to think that his sleep had far exceeded what he thought.

"New cub?" He asked, trying to fathom what the panther had told him.

"New cub? Did you just say...new cub? As in, she had a new kid?

"Yes I did." Bagheera answered.

The bear stood with his mouth wide open. His eyes looked left and then shifted back to the sight of the panther.

"I'm sorry." said the bear.

"How long has it been again?"

The panther just rolled his eyes.

"She didn't exactly have another cub." Bagheera explained.

"She has adopted one. A girl cub named Elsa."

Even more was the bear completely left in astonishment. He knew quiet well as to what a girl cub was and was shocked to know that Elsa would come to adopted one.

"A-a girl cub?" He said.

"As in-"

"Yes." Bagheera said.

"A man's cub."

For a moment the bear just stared. It took what was a short while before he spoke up.

"So you are telling me... A Man's cub is here I the jungle?" Baloo asked, trying to gather and make sense of all the facts he had been given.

"An actual man's cub?"

"Yes." Bagheera answered the bear once more.

"And now she needs help with trying to raise her. She needs for Elsa to have friends here in the jungle."

Baloo nodded his head as he thought of what opportunity this presented for him. It was as if all those times he had with Pora seemed to have been given another chance to make more. While not with the cub he had come to love as a niece, it was a new cub that was an empty vessel when it came to knowledge in the jungle in need of teaching. Even with her being a cub of man, this would mean that she would have some abilities that a monkey would have, without being a coward.

"Yeah." Baloo said, nodding his head yes.

"Bagie you just might be on to something."

Baloo came upon all four of his paws. He then dashed out toward the entrance, passing by Bagheera along the way. The black leopard turned to the departing bear and watched as departed for the jungle outside.

"Baloo?" He said, turning around.

"Where are you going?" He asked curiously.

"I think that it's time for old uncle Baloo here to meet his new niece.' Baloo said as he came out through the cave.

"Wait!" Bagheera said as he scampered after the brown bear.

The panther dashed out of the cave and raced up from behind of the bear. He passed by Baloo can then came in front of the brown bear, stopping him in his tracks.

"Now hold it!" The panther said.

"You don't even know where you ar going."

"What are you talking about?" Baloo asked, knowing very well of where to go.

"I know where the lair is."

"No." Said Bagheera, seeing that the bear was misunderstanding what he was trying to tell him.

"I mean you are going in the wrong direction. The lions aren't at their den at the moment; they all left for the grass lands."

"Oh!" Baloo said.

"Thanks Begie."

The bear turned right and continued to race through the jungle. Bagheera stood and stared in his direction. He sighed and shook his head in annoyance to the bear.

(I **hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, If there are any requests or ideas you wish to share, feel free. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	2. Chapter 2

Out in the plain fields outside the jungle, the lionesses all laid in an open spot from the grass near a watering hole, relaxing under the warm, glistening sun. However they were only a few in numbers, as they had just been departed not too long ago. Most of them had broken off from the group to go hunt whatever free game might be at their finding. The ones that remained behind only rested and napped as they felt the warmth of the sun above. Among this small group, Diata and her adopted daughter Elsa laid together alongside Sarafina, Sarabi, Nala and Simba.

In the middle spot of the three lionesses, Simba was pouncing around, trying to catch a bug that hopped all around. Elsa, clad within the clothing that her blue loincloth could provide sat up against her mother's right side, pressing her back against her. The girl observed as Simba tried to catch the small bug that flew all around. The young lion Prince got down in a pouncing position before he made a great leap at the flying insect.

"Gotcha!" He said, as he flew down upon the bug.

However the insect made a swift move out from the grasp of the lion cub. Simba landed down upon his front paws before his back. He turned in the direction of the small flying bug.

"Hey!" He said grinned.

"Come back here!" The cub said as he leaped to the side.

However the cub ended up pouncing upon Elsa. The young cub collided down upon the girls lap, causing the wild girl to lean back in heighten alert to Simba's mistaken pounce. Diata turned as she saw the two cubs compile upon one another. The young prince lied upon Elsa. To the girl he felt like a heavy cat was laying over her.

"Simba!" The girl said, smiling.

"Get off of me!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Elsa." The young prince said as he stepped back and off from the girl.

Elsa leaned back up off her mother, shaking herself off.

"Are you alright?" He asked, hoping that he hadn't hurt her when she had pounced upon her by accident.

"I'm fine." Elsa answered.

The lion cub turned. In a short distance, he saw the small cub beginning to take off far from his reach.

"Aww." He pouted as his target had escaped his grasp.

"It got away."

Diata gave a smirk to the young lion Prince. She could see that the young prince had high hopes of catching that bug and proving himself as a hunter. However, this was always a time from which the hunter must come to expect. Not every time will any lion or predator of the jungle be able to claim the prey they seek. There will be chances for the prey itself. It depends on whether those chances will surface. The hunter must be wise with all the moves it takes and must always strike at the right time.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Simba." Diata said as the young cub turned to the white lioness.

"We predators of the jungle will not always succeed in hunting. You must always be careful with our actions or you may have to face going without."

"But I don't." Elsa said, knowing that she could be fed by the fruits and nuts that grow upon the trees.

Elsa looked down upon her daughter.

"No you don't." Diata said, knowing that her adopted daughter was different in many ways from the pride.

'But we lions rely on some of the animals we hunt. Not all of us can eat bananas from a tree you know."

Elsa chuckled as she though in her young mind how silly that would be. All the while she could feel the sun's warmth at such a temperature that she had but gotten used to in the past couple of weeks in the jungle. However the girl often felt that the jungle was at times far too hot to withstand. Whenever it came to that time, she would often cool down by sitting in some watering holes and cool off in the water.

Elsa looked back toward the watering hole. As of this moment she felt so humid from how hot the sun was and wished to be relieved with the coolness of the water. There wasn't a further minute that she could stay under the hot sun

"Mama?" She asked as she turned back to face to her lioness mother

"Hmm?" The lioness responded, listening for the girl request.

"May I go to the watering hole; I feel so hot right now?"

"Well alright." Diata said, approving of the matter.

"But just stay where I can see you okay?"

Elsa nodded her head to her mother.

"Okay." The wild girl said as she got up and moved around her lioness mother.

Diata watched as her adopted cub walked over toward the water's edge.

"Elsa, wait up!" Simba said as he followed after the wild girl.

Elsa gazed back and smiled to the young prince.

"Race you there!" The girl challenged.

At that moment, the girl turned and dashed off into the direction of the small shore line.

"Hey!" Simba said, as he raced to surpass her.

"Nala come on!"

"No fair!" Nala called, seeing what was a very unsought of heads start.

From the front legs of her mother where she was sitting, the lioness cub quickly raced off after her two friends. The three mothers have all gazed toward the departure of their cubs. As Diata observed, she could see her young, beautiful girl cub and the friendship that she had with Simba and Nala. The three cubs walked at each other's side, talking with each other, racing over to the water hole, laughing and cheering. A sight that Diata had anticipated she would see, though this was only a few numbers in friendship for her daughter. Diata frowned as she thought for a second of the matter. Since she had visited Kala and her family, her daughter was but met with a cold response from the rest of the family, the major being from Kerchek. While nothing unexpected, Diata could not help but feel that she was further away from providing the life she wanted for her daughter.

As Diata turned away, she sighed and narrowed her head. Her actions were not unnoticed by Sarabi and Sarafina who gazed to her with curiousness of her plight.

"Diata?" Sarabi asked curiously.

The white lioness looked up to the two. With the expressions upon their faces, the white lioness was all too aware of what lingered in their minds. She was sure that they wanted to know what troubled her so much. She gave yet another sigh before she spoke.

"Kerchek wants Elsa to be kept away from his tribe." She said.

Both the lionesses looked to one another. It didn't seem that big of a concern seeing as how he didn't tolerate any of the lion cubs in the pride around his family. Diata know that from the very beginning. To what was so concerning about it now?

"He wants all the Cubs away from the pride." Sarabi said.

"it's not for that reason." Diata said.

"He thinks Elsa is a danger to everyone in the jungle and to the pride."

Both the lionesses were left feeling so curious as to what the reason was. They both knew that Elsa was but a Cub filled with such innocence and sweetness. She was kind and she loved the pride as her family. Neither of them could see how he would see Elsa to be a danger to the pride.

"What?" Sarafina asked.

"Why would he think Elsa is dangerous?"

Daiat shock her head. The answer was unclear to her as it was for the two lionesses.

"I don't know." She answered.

"What does Kala think?" Sarabi asked curious of the perspective of the she-ape.

"She was the only one who I could count on the most." Diata answered.

"She defended Elsa from Kerchek and now she and Elsa are well acquainted with each other. But..."

"But what?" asked Sarabi curiously?

Diata couldn't help but feel that she wasn't giving Elsa the life she deserved as of so far. She wanted for her adopted daughter to be given friends here in the jungle. To have those she could trust and those that could teach her and help her. But as of now, Elsa was seen to be an outcast in the eyes of Kerchek and his tribe. Though she knew that she couldn't make anyone think otherwise, but all she asked was for her daughter to be given a life of joy and prosper within this jungle.

"I want for Elsa to live here in the jungle happy and..." Diata turned and gazed over toward her daughter at the ponds edge.

Diata frowned as she felt the doubt and feeling of failure to her cub. Her desire to give to Elsa the love and trust by the folk of the jungle seemed be just a simple wish that couldn't be given. There will be those that would be of a different mindset then her about Elsa and see her in a different manner, the innocence of a man cub wouldn't be consider.

"I just don't want for her to be considered an outsider."

"Diata. Sarabi said.

The white lioness turned

"You know that we would never consider your cub that way. She has the blessing from me and Mufassa to be a part of the jungle."

Though true, it wasn't enough to convince the rest of the jungle folk to see Elsa as being one of their own. She a girl-cub and the specie of man was never looked upon as a friend to any creature of the jungle. Diata knew that to be certain. However, she wouldn't say that she wasn't grateful for their support. It was only the one desire she had that someone in the jungle would be so kind as to befriend Elsa.

Down by the watering hole, Elsa, Simba and Nala continued racing toward the water hole. Both Simba and Nala had far surpassed the wild girl, even with the fact she used her greatest speed. Elsa tried her very hardest to keep up with the two cubs, but still it was not enough to compare with the cubs. Both Nala and Simba came upon the very edge of the watering hole. The two cubs turned and saw Elsa coming racing up to them a few moments after their arrival to the shore catching up to her two friends, the slowed down and tried to catch her lost breath.

"Beat ya again, Elsa." Simba smiled.

Elsa looked up to the young prince.

"Well it's not easy to pass by you guys." She said, knowing that she wasn't as fast as them.

"You okay?" Nala asked, seeing Elsa was so out of breath.

The wild girl nodded her head. As she leaned back up, Elsa began walking toward the water. She was so eager to cool down in the water; she felt so hot and was stricken with such exhaustion. To be cooled down in the water was but the entire girl had been so desperate for. When she came faced with the waterhole, she dipped her left foot inside and felt the coolness of the water and the heat that was imprinted upon from the hot sun above be swept away. She brought her right foot in and slowly she began moving away from the shore line, feeling as the water began deeper and rise from her legs up.

The water hand came up to the girls waist before she turned and gazed back toward the shore.

"Come on, you guys." She said.

Both Simba and Nala looked to one another. They were each not too keen on the idea of going into the water. Being a species of cat, there was always the egging fear of the water. None of them know how to swim and weren't risking drowning.

"Uh, I don't think so." Simba said, looking back at her.

"Yeah, no thanks." Nala said, agreeing with Simba.

"Come on." Elsa encouraged.

"It'll be great."

The two cubs shock their heads.

"No way." Nala said, refusing to step in.

The wild girl was finally left without any will to encourage them further. She instead just shrugged and turned away from them. The girl them dove into the water and began to swim out toward the other side of the watering hole. As the wild girl ventured deep in the shallow watering hole, she opened her eyes to see the world that lied beneath the water's surface. There was dirt with countless stones below her and also the fish that swam all around her.

As the girl gazed ahead, she could see one of the many fish swimming ahead of her. As the girl followed after it, the fish began making a turn when suddenly, something burst through the water's surface and slammed down upon the fish, trapping it within its jaws. Elsa rose up out of her sudden surprise and stood up on her feet, planting them in the bottom of the watering hole. She came back up to the surface of the water to be met with whoever had given her sudden fear.

The girl gazed upon the back of a brown sloth bear, just as it raised its head out of the water. The girls widen her eyes in shock as she began backing away from it. The bear tilted his head to the girl just as Elsa turned and began swimming back to the other side of the watering bear then threw the fish out from its jaws to the shore behind him.

"Hey Kid, Wait!" the bear Called as he went after the girl.

As Elsa tried to swim back toward the other shore line and be at the site of safety of her lion family, she suddenly felt herself come to a sudden stop. She was unable to swim further out, but instead felt herself be pulled back. Elsa turned and sw the bear had gripped her with his jaws by his loincloth and pulled her back. She struggled, trying to get free of the Bears grip.

"Help!" She cried in despair.

"Someone help!"

By the shore line, Simba and Nala who were faced away from the water, turned back and both watch in horror at th sight of Elsa being pulled back by a bear.

"Elsa!" Nala cried.

"Oh no!" Simba said.

"Come on!"

The two cubs ran around the waterhole, hoping to come in time to Elsa's rescue.

(I **hope you enjoyed this chapter, if there is any requests or ideas you wish to share, feel free. And as always please comment and review!** )


	3. Chapter 3

The sounds of cries and screaming were heard by the lionesses nearby. Even by the concerned Diata who's cub's voice was all so recognizable to her. Diata, Sarabi and Sarafina turned left toward the pond and saw that Elsa was being dragged through the water by a big brown bear. Diata's expression to the sight was of complete shock as she witnessed her adopted daughter be pulled away by what is to be considered an hungered bear.

"Elsa!" She gasped in fear at what possibilities this would lead to if the bear succeeded in taking her.

Without a single moment to be wasted, the lioness quick led raced toward the pond to her daughter's aid. Sarabi and Sarafina dashed in pursuit of the white lioness.

Elsa squirmed like a fish as it was pulled from its waters, as the sloth bear pulled her out onto the dry banks of the pond. She struggled to release her blue loincloth from the grip of the bears sealed jaws. Its sharp fangs that were covered by his snout had a tight grip upon the blue piece of cloth that covered from her chest down to her waist. The wild girl was reach up to where the bear pulled her, trying hard to free herself. She kicked and called out for help, hoping for her mother to hear of her despair. She looked over to the other side of the pond to see her mother and the other lionesses coming to save her.

"Help me!" She cried out.

"Mama!"

"Hold on now." The bear said with his mouth still holding the girl's loincloth.

She looked up at the bear who was continuing to pull him out from the water.

"Let go of me!" She demanded.

The girl then plunged her small right fist right into the bear's nose. The small amount of strength from the girl's fist pressing hard into the sold black snout of the bear triggered pain, causing for him to release the girl from his grip. He sat back, covering his sour black nose with both his front paws.

"Ow!" He cried.

"That.. That hurt you know. That was... That was just... Ow."

Elsa, looking up at the bear turned herself onto her stomach before coming back up on her two feet.

"Ah!" He said, enduring the pain of his black nose from the girl's punch.

"Geese kid, you pack quite a punch there."

"Don't come any closer." Elsa warned him.

"Hey, hey." said the bear, putting up his hand up to the girl.

"Relax, kid. You don't need to get all worked up, okay. I am not going to eat ya."

The girl looked to the bear in a manner of suspicion. What she had learned from her mother was that strangers were not always to be trusted. Just because they speak of their intentions, it didn't mean that they were as they said it to be. The bear could indeed be telling her lies that would fool her into letting her senses grown dull and make her an easy target. The girl's expression did not go unnoticed by the bear. He could tell that she wasn't buying into what he was telling her. It was going to take more than words to convince her that he was telling the truth. Not only that, pulling her out of the water in such a way wasn't a major help of matters.

"Alright, alright." He said, knowing that she wasn't happy with getting forced out from the water in such a way.

"Look, I know, I know I forcefully dragged you out like that. And I'm sorry for that, I wasn't going to..."

Just then, Simba and Nala came into sight of the two.

"Elsa!" Nala said as she and Simba came up to her.

The bear smiled at what opportunities this would give for him to prove to the girl of what he was saying.

"Simba, Nala!" He said.

The two cubs both turned to the bear, recognizing who he was. They both gasped and smiled widely at the brown bear,

"Baloo!" Simba said as he smiled to him.

"Hey guys." The bear said.

"Sorry about all the confusion there, I was just trying to get to know your new friend here."

Elsa looked to Simba curiously.

"You know him?" The girl asked curiously.

"Yeah." Simba said as he looked up to Elsa.

"He's a friend of ours."

"Yeah," Nala insisted on the princes words.

"He takes us around the jungle sometimes; he teaches us all about the bare necessities."

"The bare Necessities?" Elsa asked curiously.

"You betch ya!" The bear said.

"The good old bare Necessities as I like to call it."

Just at the very moment, there was more familiar faces as Diata, Sarabi and Sarafina came up toward them. The bear turned as he caught glimpse of the three approaching lionesses. Upon seeing the bear who was as they thought was hunting Elsa; they stopped and looked in realization as to who it was. To their unpredicted guess, the bear that looked to be attacking Elsa turned out to be Baloo.

"Well I'll be." said Baloo as he turned to them.

"Your majesty, you're looking fine as always."

Sarabi smiled in appreciation from the bears comment.

"And Sarafiana?" said Baloo as he turned to Nala's mother.

"Gosh you are really glowing today."

"Oh, thank you Baloo." She said, nodding her head to him.

The white lioness came forward to the sloth bear.

"Baloo?" said Diata, having the mindset of the Bears absence for many weeks.

"We haven't seen you in a long time now. Where have you been?"

"Oh, I've been at the cave, you know?" The bear said.

"Getting some hibernation in and having some tasty honey, you know what I'm saying. Case and point, then I get this visit from a black panther saying that you have a new daughter, is that not correct?"

Diata shook her head, yes.

"Yes." The white lioness said as she turned to her daughter.

"Baloo, I would like you to meet my daughter, Elsa."

The brown bear widen his eyes and smiled. He knew that he had the right girl-cub; it seemed only relevant that she was the one Bagheera had told him about.

"So you're Elsa!" The bear said.

"Nice finally meet ya. Quite the name you got there too."

"Thank you... Uh, Baloo." The girl said.

"Actually." Baloo said.

"Call me Uncle Baloo."

Elsa looked to her mother in confusion.

"Uncle?" She asked, curious of how the bear was of that position.

Diata nodded her head to her daughter.

"Yes, Elsa." Diata said, knowing that Baloo was indeed an uncle.

"Me and Baloo have been friends since long as we can remember."

"Yeah." Baloo said.

"You mom he here helped me out of a tight and sticky situation once."

Diata chuckled just as the memory of that event came to mind. They were both Cubs at the time; Baloo was trying to get some honey from a dead tree where the bees had made their nest. He ended up getting stuck in a hole with a dozen bees flying over him. It was lucky for him that Diata happen to be nearby, she and Kala as a matter of fact. They both helped pull Baloo out from the bee's nest, the sight of him them made her laugh, his brown fur was completely drenched in honey.

"What happened?" Elsa asked eager to know the events of that day.

"Oh, it was the first day we met." Diata said turning to Elsa.

"Me and Kala found Baloo stuck in a tree."

"Excuse me." Baloo said.

"It was a bee's nest and more importantly there was honey."

"Me and Kala had to pull him out of there." Diata furthered the tale.

"It took us several attempts before we got him free. You should have seen him then, he was drenched in honey."

Diata continued to chuckle as she though more of it. Upon imagining it in her head, Elsa chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. The same went for Simba and Nala as they too imagined what had happened.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." Baloo said.

"You try getting out of a bees nest when you can barely fit in it. The bees stung me right on the nose, I think you might have hit me right on the spot Elsa."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Elsa said, regretting her action.

"Hey, Hakuna Matata kid." The bear said.

"After all I kind of had that coming to me after pulling you out of the water like that."

"Think nothing of it, Baloo." Diata said, knowing the past was the past.

Baloo shook his head in agreement. However he felt tha to perhaps it was best to make it up to his new niece. After forcefully dragging her out from the watering hole, he knew that she must be a bit intimidated by him and that wasn't what he wanted the girl to feel around him. He wanted for her to know him the same way as Simba and Nala do now. Plus he was all too eager to teach Elsa about the bare necessities of life.

"Say, little El?" Baloo said turning to the girl.

"Can I call you little El?"

Elsa shook her head yes.

"Okay." Elsa said.

"Great!" Baloo said.

"How about you and old Baloo here take a stroll through the jungle, what do you say?"

Elsa thought of the idea out of her eagerness and excitement. She did indeed wish to go with Baloo out into the jungle. She turned back to her mother.

"Can I go, mama?" Elsa asked eagerly.

Diata was not of any mindset to deny the girl her request. She wanted for Elsa to have friends here in the jungle and here was but the opportunity that Diata had wished for. Here was one of her closest childhood friends, someone who would indeed be a perfect friend for her new daughter. There's wasn't any way for her to say no.

"Of course you can, Elsa." She said in approval.

"Can we go too?" asked Simba as he and Nala looked back to Sarabi and Sarafina.

"Please?" Nala insisted.

Both Sarafina and Sarabi looked to one another. Just as Diata, they felt no need to say no to them.

"It's alright with us." She said.

"Yeah!" Simba cried out as he and Nala leaped out in joy.

"Alright, come on now." Baloo said as he turned and started to make his way back to the jungle.

Simba and Nala dashed off in eagerness after the bear. Before tagging along with them, Elsa turned back to her mother.

"Bye, Mama." She said just before she turned and followed Baloo into the Jungle.

"Bye Elsa." She said back.

"Have fun."

From the girl cub's departure, the white lioness stood and watched in relief and gratefulness. She had longed for her daughter to be a friend to the known folk of the jungle. Now here was from out of the blue was one of her dearest childhood friends come to help give the life that she wanted for Elsa. It felt as if Baloo had come to repay her for the kindness she presented to him long ago, when she helped him in his time of need. Now he had come to help in hers.

Elsa had caught up with Baloo, Simba and Nala as they walked out from the plains and back to the jungle. Just the same as her mother, Elsa also was so eager to have more friends in the jungle. Though she was a bit throated by the fact Baloo and her met in a fashion that almost resembled predatory toward her, Elsa was at least forgiving to the bear for his actions and willing to give him a chance.

"Hey guys, wait for me!" She called just as she came up from behind them.

The wild girl zipped up till she came to be at Baloo's side.

"Try and keep up, will ya?" Baloo said as he turned to look at the girl.

"I've got some important lessons that I want to teach ya."

"What lessons?" Elsa asked curiously.

"Really important lessons." Baloo said.

"As in really important, just try to keep up Okay."

Elsa nodded her head.

"Okay." She said in agreement from what she was told.

The four then ventured back into the jungle from the plain fields. The lessons of the bare necessities had now begun.

 **(I hope you enjoyed this chapter, if there are any requests or ideas you wish to share, feel free to do so. And as always please comment and review!)**


	4. Chapter 4

Elsa strolled along with Simba and Nala as they followed Baloo through the jungle. The wild girl walked along side of the massive brown bear who had now been known to be her uncle. Even with the mistaken first meeting that they had both had back at the plain fields, Elsa was all so open to the friendship that she would receive with Baloo. He seemed to be a friendly and sweet bear as her mother had described him to be. But she was also curious to what lessons that the bear wished to teach her. The bare Necessities as he called it.

As the bear walked along, he whistled and sung to himself.

"Bare necessities of life will come to you." He sung just before he turned to Elsa.

"They'll come to you!"

Elsa turned to the bear in curiousness of what it was he was singing.

"What are you singing, Uncle Baloo?" She asked the bear.

After he had ended his singing, the bear then turned to his new niece.

"What I'm singing little El, is a song about what I like to call the good life." Baloo explained.

"What's the good life?" Elsa asked curiously.

The bear nodded his head.

"Exactly." He said.

"It's called the bare necessities, El." Baloo explained further.

"Where you forget about all your worries and all that and live a nice relaxing life."

As the four continued along their way, high in the trees Bagheera walked along the branches and limbs above. As the panther drew upon the path of the four, he caught word of Baloo and Elsa's voice. He stopped and gazed down to the four walking below.

"That's my little El, is what old uncle Baloo is going to teach you." said Baloo.

Bagheera raised his eyebrow so dumbfounded at what Baloo had said. Never in all his life could he have imagined a sloth bear such as Baloo would have the qualities to pull off that very word. The bear hadn't any important knowledge that could help Elsa thrive amongst the jungle folk. Knowing Baloo well, he would more in lines teach her to be of a life style as his.

"Teach." the panther said to himself.

"Now that's something I wouldn't expect from that careless fool"

He shook his head as he knew what it was Baloo would show the girl.

"I best be nearby just in case anything goes wrong."

The panther leaped to the branch at his left, following the four through the jungle. All the while, the four friends unknown to the following of the Black Panther strolled along through the jungle. All the while, Baloo looked to Elsa with but a question that lingered in his mind. He has never seen a girl-cub before in the jungle, at least not one like Elsa at least. To how it was that she would come to live in a place like this and be the daughter of his childhood friend? The bear wished to know.

"So what's your story little El?" He asked curious to how she ended up as Diata's new daughter.

"How did you end up in the jungle?"

As the girl turned to answer, it was then that Simba had took the opportunity to explain from her.

"Diata found her in the jungle." The young prince said.

Though true, there was more to that story than that. But Elsa wished not to go further into it. The past that before she had come to live in the jungle was all too painful for the girl to explain. She wished not to endure it anymore then she had.

"Yeah." Elsa said, nodding her head.

"She brought me into the pride."

The bear smiled and nodded his head a bit. He knew that Diata was such a kind hearted lioness and a very caring one at that.

"Well that's the Diata I know and love." Baloo said.

"So how do you like living in the jungle, I mean it must be weird for a girl cub to live here don't you think?"

"No, I like living here in the jungle." Elsa said, enjoying most of the prosperity that she had endured here in her new lush home.

"It's so big and beautiful and I have so many friends here."

"Ahuh." Nala said in agreement.

Baloo turned to her and Simba.

"So you guys are what, BFFs?" He asked.

"Well, yeah." Simba said knowing that it would be the exact thing to summaries their friendship.

"We play together every day. Sometimes we go off exploring."

"Really?" Baloo said.

"Sounds interesting."

The bear looked back to the girl.

"So how are the rest of the jungle folk treating you?" Baloo asked.

Elsa stood silent for a brief moment. The question from the bear had reminded her of what had happed in the passing days, when she and her mother had visited Kala and her family in the jungle. The day that was thought to be of a good time was met with an unexpected result.

"Well..." She said, trying to speak up.

The bear stopped as he turned to Elsa. He could tell by her hesitation that something was up.

"Who, El?" Baloo said curiously.

"Who's giving you a hard time?"

"No one giving me trouble, Baloo." Elsa said.

"But Kerchek..."

At the very mention of the silverback's name, the bear rolled his eyes and groaned. He knew who Elsa was referring to, the silverback with little to no sense of humour. That and he were so stern and strict about everything, more so then Bagheera or Mufassa was. At least Mufassa could have some bit of fun.

"Uhhh, Kerchek." He said shaking his head.

"That over grown stick in the mud. What did he tell you, El?"

Elsa sighed and narrowed her eyes as she thought back to that day. When the dominant sliver back had but spoke of hatred toward her and pronounced her presence around his tribe.

"He said that he didn't want me to ever go near his family." Elsa said as she gazed back up to her uncle.

"He said that I was a danger to everyone in the jungle."

The bear only shock his head once more.

"Yeah, you know why he says that?" Baloo asked.

"He said that because an overprotective stick in the mud. Take my advice little El, whatever Kerchek said to you is nothing but a host, alright?

Elsa nodded her head to Baloo. Both Simba and Nala came and sat by the wild girl.

"Look, El." The bear began.

"Kercheks thinks you're a danger, while I say you're a great opportunity for this jungle."

With the words spoken by Baloo, the girl felt such interest for what reason she was a opportunity for the jungle.

"Really?" Elsa asked.

Baloo shock his head yes. Elsa in his own judgment was a great thing to have ever come to these tropical woods. Elsa being a human presented with her capabilities to bring something new to life in the jungle wilderness.

"I know so." Baloo said.

"I know an opportunity when I see one, Elsa. And I see in you something special."

"Yeah, Elsa." Nala said as the wild girl turned to her.

From above in the trees, Bagheera appeared atop the branch that hovered above the four. The panther gazed down upon them.

"Here, El." said Baloo.

"Forget about what that old ape has told ya. Old uncle Baloo here is going to teach you all about the good life. So listen well."

Elsa nodded he head in agreement to his request.

"It goes a little like this. All you got to do is..."

 **Look for the bare necessities,**

 **The simple bare necessities,**

 **Forget about your worries and your strife's.**

The bear turned and walked along past the three cubs. Elsa, Simba and Nala all followed the bear, listening to the bears singings.

 **I mean the, bare necessities,**

 **Old Mother nature's recipes,**

 **That brings the bare necessities of life,**

Elsa came up to Baloo's side as he continued to sing. The bear came up to a banana tree and knocked her rear up against it's green trunk. Upon impact, the tree shock and the banana's above flung back and forth before one fell from the tree and down before the girl. The girl smiled and pick up the banana from the ground.

"Thanks Baloo," she said as she pealed it open.

 **Where ever I wander, where ever I roam,**

 **I couldn't be fonder of my big home!**

The bear came to a tree, where a bee hive hung against the tree's trunk. An entire swarm of bees covered against the entire hive, buzzing high above. Leaking down again the bark of the tree was the collected honey from the bees. As Baloo gazed upon the small drops of honey, he licked his lips in anticipation of the taste.

He came up to the trunk of the tree and stood up on his hind legs. Pressing his front paws against the truck, the bear began to lick the dopes.

"Mmmmmm mmmm." he moaned as he tasted the honey.

 **The bees are buzzing in the tree,**

 **to make some honey just for me.**

Elsa came up to the tree, gazing toward Baloo as he licked the honey. She turned to the trunk and slid her finger against the bark and got honey upon it. She then licked the sweet tasting honey.

The bear then came down off the tree and came to a large rock nearby. He dug his muzzle underneath and lifted it up to reveal a whole lot of ants. Elsa, Simba and Nala came up and kneeled down to the small ants.

 **When you look under the rocks and plants,**

 **take a glance, at the fancy ants**

 **and maybe try a few.**

The three cubs turned to the bear, an expression of disturbance was written upon their faces.

"You mean eat them?" Nala asked.

"That's what I'm saying, Nala." said Baloo as he leaned his head down and licked up a whole bunch of ants.

The three friends were all repulsed by the bear's action. After he had swallowed the ant's whole, the bear turned and walked from the rock he was holding up, causing it to fall to the ground. Elsa jumped upon its sudden clasp.

 **The bare necessities of life will come to you.**

 **They'll come to you,**

Baloo came up to a tree's trunk and began to rub himself against it. He moaned as he felt its bark relieve the itch that he had been having.

"Oh, Yeah." He said in relief.

"Oh, that feels, Ohhh... that's the spot."

He stood up on his hind legs and began to rub his back up against the tree.

"AHHHH," he said as he continued to rub his back up against the trees bark.

"Yeah, that feels great."

Elsa, Simba and Nala came up to Baloo as he continued to scratch his back up against the tree.

"Come on, kids." said Baloo.

"Give it a try."

Elsa came up to the same tree as Baloo. She pressed her back up against its bark covered surface and began to pounce up and down against it. She could feel some disturbing tingling spots upon her back. Upon rubbing her back up against the tree, she felt the sensation of ridding the feeling that bug her so much. Simba and Nala came up and began rubbing their sides up against a tree nearly, feeling their itches be relieved as the bear's had.

"How's it feel, little El?" He asked, looking down to the girl.

"Good, huh?"

Elsa nodded her head to the bear.

"Yeah, uncle Baloo." She said.

Baloo came down from the tree and back upon his four paws. He turned to Elsa as she continued to scratch up against the tree. He smirked as he saw how well she was doing

"Yeah, now you're getting it, El." He said, impressed with how well she followed the bare necessities so far.

"The bare necessities are coming to ya now."

Elsa ceased her scratching as she looked to the bear. She smiled and chuckled at her uncle Baloo.

"Thanks, Uncle Baloo." She said.

"Don't get too excited, kid." Baloo said.

"You still got a way to go."

The bear then turned and began walking in the opposite way.

 **Look for the bare necessities,**

 **the simple bare necessities,**

 **Forget about your worries and your strife's**

The bear looked back to the three Cubs.

"Come and sing with me, kids." He said.

Elsa, Simba and Nala both dashed up to Baloo's side. Together they began to sing the words that were of the bear's songs.

 **I mean the bare necessities.**

 **thats why a bear can rest at ease.**

 **With just the bare necessities of life!**

As the four continued to stroll through the jungle, they had but little notice of Bagheera, who watched from the high trees above. Observantly, the black leopard gazed to the bear feeling such proudest and was but glad to see that he had fulfilled a duty to his friendship to Diata. He had come to answer her need of help when she had needed it so. He had come to be a great friend to Elsa and showed her a new way of life here in the jungle. There had been so many times when Baloo had come to doubt him, but now Baloo had come to prove him otherwise.

Flouting downstream of the river, Elsa, Simba and Nala were sitting atop Baloo's stomach as he laid upon his back through the water. He paddled downstream with his front paws, swiping them under the surface of the water.

 **The bare necessities of life will come to you,**

 **They'll come to you.**

"They'll come to me?" said Elsa.

 **They'll come to you!**

"They'll come to me." Simba said.

 **They'll come to you**.

"They've come to me."Nala joined in.

 **They have come to you!**

The bear chuckled as he laid his head back in the water.

"Man." He said.

"I got to tell you three, they have most certainly come to ya. I am so proud of you three."

Elsa giggled at the bear's comment.

"You better believe it, uncle Baloo." She said smiling.

"Yeah." Simba agreed.

"Ahuh." Nala said.

Baloo chuckled and sat his head up to face them.

"Now you guys are talking." He said.

Baloo raised a paw from the water and rubbed the top of Elsa's head, causing it to become wet upon his touch. She gives a small laugh.

"This is certainly the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

As Baloo laid his head back in the water, giving a relaxed sigh the sloth bear peer peered ahead to see a steep bank that drew closer to them. The bear was already feeling the need to relax somewhere.

"Hey why don't we get off there?" He said.

As they came closer to the steep shore line, the three cubs hopped off the bear's stomach, allowing for him to turn himself onto his stomach and walk onto the shore. Baloo walked up to a tree trunk where he sat up against the trunk.

"Ahhh." He moaned.

Elsa came up and sat right next to Baloo.

She looked to her uncle, smiling with such admissions of joys and happiness. For here now, she was finally given the friendship of one of the jungles folk. The time spent with Baloo had far surpassed the thoughts of him before. Now he felt more of the friend that she had hoped for in the jungle. He showed her much and taught her all the joys of the bare necessities. Somehow he made her feel more about herself then she ever had before.

"Hey, Uncle Baloo?" Elsa asked.

"Yeah?" He answered, narrowing his head to look at the girl.

"Do you really think I'm an opportunity for the jungle?" She asked.

The bear nodded his head.

"I already said I know so." Baloo said, referring to the. Answer he gave her before.

"I mean you have so many capabilities, you are quite the little cub. Plus, best of all, you make your mom happy. That's something that makes me think that you're a great opportunity. You've already proven that to me today."

Elsa blushed, her checks turning red as she felt pride in herself.

"Hey, El." Baloo said.

Elsa looked back to the bear.

"Want you to make me a promise. Think you could do that?"

The wild girl nodded her head.

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

"Don't let anyone get to ya." Baloo said.

"You're special, El. Special to me and the most special to your mother and to the pride. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

The young wild girl smiled down at Baloo for his words of kindness and encouragement. This was a promise that she wouldn't break for any point of her life time.

"I promise, uncle Baloo." She said.

The bear smiled back to her niece. It was them Elsa leaned in and hugged Baloo tight. He looked down to the girl that held him tight and smirked. Today he had come to love Elsa the same as Diata had. Thus time it was going to be different. He was always going too looked out for her just as he had always done before.

( **That concludes the Bare Necessities. Finally, I can get the song out of my head and move on. Thanks for you guys support and see you back on the main story.)**


End file.
